Brew Kettle Dead Poets Imperial IPA

22 oz bottle via homebrew Mys Swap 1.0 (thanks crizay!). Ok, so this one comes out as an almost clear amber with an average size beige head. Nose is mellow and i am not picking up a whole lot for an IIPA...just some muted hops..cannot make out much on profile..perhaps some orange and pineapple. Taste starts and ends with the malts....this is more like a wannabe yet thin barleywine than an IIPA. Lots of fruity esters, a bit of fusel alc, some toasted grains, and some subdued earthy/spicy hops. Body is light/medium, carbonation is adequate. THis seems like a beer that has not found it’s identity. Is it a light-bodied barleywine that needs more time? It is certainly closer to that than it is a fresh hoppy IIPA...

Date: 03/12/2007
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting

clear gold, frothy off white head, streaks of lace, sweet malty aroma with a sharp floral edge, light sweet malt flavor, good hop flavor, a touch of an astrengent and soapy character,

Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 5/10; Flavor: 6/10; Palate: 5/10; Overall: 11/20
Rating: 2.9/5.0
Drinkability: 6/10
Score: *4

Bottle...Clear amber ale with a small, creamy, white head. Rich aroma of toffee and caramel with an earthy note of juniper and fruity jolts of peach and orange. Crystal malt flavors of caramel and toffee are beaten down by heavily bitter, earthy hops. Medium-bodied with a skim-milk mouthfeel and prickly carbonation. Lengthy, bitter finish with a topical anesthetic effect on and around my tongue. Thanks, crizay, for sending the bottle!

Bottle courtesy of crizay. Pours copper with a nice white head. Smells of citrus, roses, sweet malt, some tangy hints, hints of earthiness. Tastes of tea, pepper, some dry malt, some resiny hop notes. Mouthfeel is full bodied. Finish is bitter and lasting. Not as over the top as many IIPAs I’ve sampled. This one has some depth to it and reminds me more of a ramped up English Pale Ale. Either way, kudos to the brewer!

Bottle sampled on 3/12/07: Pours a transparent bright bronze with a large, frothy well-lacing white head. Aroma of sweet biscuity pale malt with some earthy piny hoppy notes. Body starts fairly sweet and pale malty with some toasty toffee notes and some bittering piny hops with a touch of citrusy notes. A decent IIPA.

Poured a clear yellow color with a medium sized creamy off-white head. The aroma was of light lemon and citrus. It kind of reminded me of an American Wheat with the lemony notes. The flavor was light and semi-sweet. Lemons but without the tartness. Moderately dry and bitter finish. Light to medium body.

Thanks to the Atlanta crew for sharing. Light gold, white head. Nose is lemon, mango, fruit, light caramel. Flavor is light caramel, bitter catty lemon, slight malty toffee.

22 oz bottle, bottle conditioned (surprisingly): Light medium amber w/ a lasting off white head. This beer, according to Jeff the bartender is the Olde 21’s little brother! Citrusy grapefruit hops with a heaping helping of piney hops. Younger sibling diacetyl also shows up to annoy his bigger brothers. Lightly toasty and malt presence a bit overshadowed by the hops, but we do the hokey pokey and we turn ourselves about, that’s what it’s all about! Flavor is pretty well balanced, but a bit on the sweet side from start to finish. A good bit of grapefruity and floral hop flavor, but does not quite overshadow the malts like it does in the aroma. Malts are mostly toasty with some caramel with the diacetyl a bit lighter in the flavor than the aroma. Finish is on the slightly sweet side and the aftertaste is a bit hop flavored, but it sort of fizzles in the aftertaste a little bit. Smooth fuller medium body, well hidden alcohol (whatever it might be, Jeff was unsure). A pretty good drinkable beer, save for the diacetyl, which isn’t overbearing, but there.